Against Gehenna
by endlessnotebooks
Summary: Following a lapse in pride and strength, Rin calls on his deceased father for assistance, commiting himself to a war he didn't know about until learning of his heritage. Assisting with espionage and fighting, Rin helps lead a siege against the new leader of Gehenna, Mephisto. Given the lies all exorcists have accepted, Rin has little choice left. No pairings.
1. Initiation Arc: The Battle Begins

_**Initiation Arc: The Battle Begins **_

As Rin Okumura looked out onto the empty True Cross grounds, he was reminded of the exact form of solitude he had achieved. Before, his solitude would be accented on the occasion of a rare fight with Yukio, but the priests and Father Fujimoto still insisting on keeping him company. Now, however, he had no one. He could not bear returning to the church after Father Fujimoto's death, and he and Yukio were no longer on speaking terms due to Yukio's expressed opinion Rin should be executed by the Vatican several days prior to the fallout with his friends. The fight had caused Rin to storm out of their shared room and make a comfortable residence in a room far from Yukio, on the other side of the dorm.

He did not have friends to turn to either- though before True Cross, he had only ever had one acquaintance (a slightly older male by the name of Isamu) whom he ran into on the streets occasionally, but they had more of a casual friendship than one involving tense discussions and supportive friendship. After all, he couldn't go to Isamu with the major emotional issues of his life, despite the revelation from Isamu himself that he was a demon banished from Gehenna soon after Rin realized he himself was Satan's son.

So, without his friend's from True Cross there to stand by him anymore and no brother to assist him, he was left with only Isamu or the priests. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for one of them to call for advice, but spilling feelings was off-limits. It was their one rule, formed early in their semi-friendship.

"Isamu, I need something."

"Shoot, Okumura."

Rin inhaled slowly, "You remember the little issues we deal with, right?

'Little issues' was the fringe name that many banished demons used to describe their condition- demons in a world of humans and in constant danger of exorcists who would like nothing better than to see them burning or back in Gehenna.

"Make your point quick, or I hang up. I'm busy trying to get together people to fight that headmaster of your's for Gehena."

That was another issue, one Rin hadn't known about before joining True Cross. Isamu hadn't told him, having assumed Rin would simply drop out after middle school and work at a restaurant of some sort, thus not being involved. Mephisto had staged a coup-de-tat and took over Gehenna. It wasn't a surprise to some in Gehenna- Satan had been slowly weakening after meeting Yuri, and then after possessing Fujimoto did not retain enough strength to match one of his strongest full-demon sons.

"Well, I might not be here long, not to mention the Grigori is out to get me. I have six months to pass the exorcist exam or I'm toasted."

"Damn, you just get into all kinds of trouble don't you? Well, I may help you if you promise me something."

"What?"

"You have to join the fight."

If Rin was honest with himself, he knew that he wanted to join the fight. Mephisto had done nothing but manipulate him and try to get him exposed. As such, there was no real reason for Rin to continue supporting him, even given the 'opportunity' he had received to attend True Cross Academy.

"Deal."

"So you already know the Big Guy won't listen to us," Isamu had once tried praying- having known God's reputation for loving all people- and had been injured badly for his efforts, "And I doubt you're going to be much different, even if you do have some human in you. So, try it the Shinto way. Pray to that crazy-ass Fujimoto that raised you. As a demon, you can open special gateways, and that can let you see him for a bit. Be careful, though. Mention the word "father" without being specific which father and you'll get a taste of Satan's ghost. If he was bad alive, I can only imagine what the psycho bastard is like as a spirit.

"That being said, if you see Fujimoto, make sure you tell him."

Isamu was referring to one thing- and Rin knew exactly what he meant. Rin replied in thanks before hanging up. Kneeling by his bed like he had as a kid, Rin realized the door wasn't locked. He wouldn't want Yukio to walk in on him praying should he find the correct room (he hadn't informed Yukio which room he had taken), and as such, he made sure to lock it securely before he decided what he wanted to say to Fujimoto.  
>Kneeling by his bed in the fashion he had been taught by Shiro, he began:<p>

"Fujimoto-san, I need some help. It would make sense that you may never want to see me again, but I really do need you to scold me or lecture me o-or," Rin's voice cracked. He wasn't sure why he couldn't say it, but braced himself and continued, " some fatherly guidance. I never told you how much I cherished everything. You really were a father to me, no matter what I said, and- I'm sorry! I can't tell you how sorry I am for what I said that night, and I can't help but want to make amends.

"I know you may never want to make amends, or to see me, but I want to give you the choice. I will leave this opening or connection or whatever it is open, but I can only hold it for so long," by this time, the tears were freely flowing and Rin was speaking barely above a whisper, "And, either way, I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so unbelievably sorry. I didn't realize how important Yukio and I were to you, and I didn't have any clue how important you were to me before you- before you-"

"I know Rin," Rin felt someone holding him in a tight hug, "I know."

"Fu- Dad?"

Fujimoto smiled, Rin was slightly surprised with how serious he seemed. He didn't often act very seriously, but listened as he spoke, "It's fine. I forgave you a long time ago. Don't worry about it. I suppose I was the same as a teenager, so I can't blame you either way."

This confused Rin, as the only image he had of his father was of a strong willed individual who made almost all the right choices (outside of his forms of entertainment).

"Yes, Rin, I was human too. I was rash and impulsive before I became a certified exorcist. It wasn't until I finished my training and was out on my own that I even began to consider gaining control of my decisions."

"But what should I do? There is no one for me to turn to, and I've already gotten committed to a war I don't fully understand the dynamic of."

Fujimoto looked at the boy solemnly. There was a war, a war that saw demons and angels working together. Granted, the banished demons were considered 'wraiths' or 'wandering spirits', but they were demons nonetheless and carried the abilities and natures of their own persons. Fujimoto had been surprised to learn that, contrary to popular belief, all demons and angels did not bow to their assumed proper authorities. While cases of angels were known to have 'fallen', it had been shocking to learn that many demons had aligned themselves with angels and God because they did not agree with the goings-on in Gehenna.

Rin presented a conundrum in itself, as well. He was half-demon, raised Christian (though Fujimoto was unclear on his beliefs, given he had prayed to Fujimoto instead of God), but still half human. He was fallible and could see things from the perspective of the humans and those bound to Assiah. God hadn't put Shiro in charge of the war effort for nothing. As this former squabble had caught his attention, the battle to overthrow Mephisto Pheles had resulted into a full war, lead by Fujimoto, causing angels to team with demons. Looking to Rin, he saw the potential to help him along, as well as the potential to shatter his current reality with another, far harsher one. One he had committed himself to.

"As my son, I'm going to ask you something important. While I know you are dedicated to overthrowing Gehenna, what is your ultimate goal?"

Rin looked him in the eye and hesitated before answering, "To take back Gehenna, and to gather support from the demon population for the uniting of humans and demons. I would not wish to unite the two realms, that could be disastrous," Rin had been told this by Isamu, who had been insistent that they make Gehenna accessible to Assiah and vice-versa, "and that prejudices be corrected. I just want for people to acknowledge each other- regardless of being of the demon race or the human race. That's exactly what they are- races. They can't be changed anymore than someone can change their relatives."

"Wise words coming from you, kid," Shiro guided Rin up, surprised by the lack of outburst from the half-demon, "You really have had time to mature and think this out, haven't you."

"Well, when Yukio is ignoring me and my friends don't give a damn, I get a lot of free time. I've also begun to use it to study. I only have three months to pass the Vatican's exorcist exams before I'm executed."

"What do you mean?"

And so, Rin spent their time discussing his deal with the Vatican, and subsequently, school. It wasn't long before the subjects came full circle.

"Rin," Shiro looked Rin dead in the eye before continuing, "I can help you, but you have to realize that the part of you that is human will be transitioned into something else. You will still be partially human, but not half."

"Okay? What would you be doing?"

"While I wouldn't be changing you to half angel, I would be giving you several attributes of an angel, as well as several abilities of one. It is rarely ever done, and usually to spirits. As you are likely close to giving up on holding this connection- I can recognize when you are fatigued, Rin- I want you to realize that you don't have to keep it. You can reject it as soon as you see it or within a few days. But if you do reject it, it can never be given to you again.

"I also want you to know that I don't want to see you here for a long time! And I will be having words with Yukio when he dies. You aren't like other demons, Rin. You will die, and you won't be automatically banished to Gehenna. Don't worry about dying, but living. Promise me that, won't you Rin?"  
>Rin thought on Shiro's words as he felt something burn his back and extend.<p>

"I promise, Father."

And it wasn't an acknowledgment of Shiro's position or title, but an acknowledgment of their small family that Shiro heard as Rin left the in-between world in which he could speak to his deceased father and returned to his own world. One of pain and heartbreak, one of war. But, more importantly, the world for the living.


	2. Initiation Arc: Change

As Rin awoke, he became aware of the time. He had been in the other world for several hours, that much he knew. Even if it seemed short, it was six o'clock on the night of his departure there at least. Standing and leaving his room, he knew he would get a firm scolding from Yukio, if not a full screaming match. Taking the most obtuse route to the kitchen he could, he stopped before fully descending down the stairs.

"Why wasn't the damn monkey there, then?"

Bon.

"Bon! Calm down!"

Konekomaru.

"Yuki-chan..."

Whatever Shiemi had said had been quiet, as per usual. He had no clue if whatever it was Shiro had placed on his back was real or if he had hallucinated, but walking down the stairs suddenly seemed a bad idea. Everyone was there, and he couldn't risk the war effort if they knew he had actually prayed.

And either way, there was always a chance they would try to exorcise him.

Before running upstairs, Rin took his shoes off and threw them down the hallway, distracting the exwires and the exorcist in the other room from the possibility of going upstairs. It was a quick run to his room, a quick movement of locking the door. When falling from the window however, he felt something extend out of some sort of intuition and glided down to the ground. Looking at the additions to his back, he realized he had not hallucinated, in fact, and his back were now playing host to a pair of large, black wings. They adjusted size at a simple mental command and Rin realized they hid themselves at his will as well. Useful for escape or distraction, but practical enough he could hide them away quickly. Considering this, Rin continued his movement towards Isamu's home. Grabbing his phone, he ignored a phone call from Yukio before calling Isamu.

"I'm ready to help out. Whatever I can do."

Isamu laughed, "Alrighty then. Come over to my house and maybe you can tell me what happened with Fujimoto. Don't count on it, though, there are quite a number of people you need to meet."

Rin replied quickly and took off. Isamu did live a decent distance away, but a bus would get him there in just over an hour. Quickly paying the fee, he was glad he pinched some money from his personal stash. Not many people from the exorcist academy ate at his small lunch stand anymore, but some of the regular students still delighted in his food. It was gratifying, that much he knew, but he couldn't keep that job. The less he was seen by the kids from cram school, the better. As the bus stopped where it was needed, Rin hurriedly walked to Isamu's home, stopping at the door to grab a spare key from under the house's siding.

"OI!"

"Okumura!" Rin had grown accustomed to the ritual when he would come to Isamu's home, and it didn't cease to annoy him. Isamu did tell his guests how to get in, but was cautious enough to a point at which he had developed a system for identifying those who entered his home. By the system, he yelled, and the one entering was to yell their surname. Should they not, he would proceed to find some way to run you out of the house, as he had the first time Rin had shown up.

_It is quite clever_, Rin found himself admitting. Walking into Isamu's kitchen, he saw several other people present, presumably demons banished from Gehenna on Mephisto's orders. Regarding the others, it became clear his discussion with Isamu would likely wait until after this war council of sorts.

"Sit."

He did, and listened intently. What he learned of the war was the positioning they had. They had the definite backing of Beelzebub, and Azazel had agreed with Egyn,saying they would support their group only if they could achieve swaying Rin to their side in the war. Mephisto had Amaimon, Iblis and Astaroth. Lucifer, however, had decided to be exclusively neutral until he could reap some sort of benefit from the whole situation for his own cause.

"His exact words, however, were aimed toward Rin," Isamu turned to him as he quoted the Demon King of Light, "'And should my youngest brother find himself allied with this mis-happen organization, I wish you the best of luck, Rin. I truly do believe that you could benefit Gehenna greatly. Come later days in the war, I believe you could be a truly deciding factor. May you see the light of your own eyes un-filtered, and without prejudice.'"

Rin quickly scrawled down the words as the group debated their meaning. Suddenly, a tall girl with a foreign accent interrupted, "No matter the meaning, we must be open to all possibilities, including the possibility Lucifer may side with us in the end. Quite frankly, once we have Gehenna and have instilled a solid government, I see no reason for his Illuminati to continue existing, so long as they do not harm humans."

"But that's the kicker," a soft-spoken boy with bright red hair replied, "What constitutes harm, we must lay that out solidly- it can not harm them physically or psychologically. There can be no intentional emotional harm either, as that would be a loophole, but we can't expect perfection. What say you Okumura?"

"Um..." Rin took a second to collect his thoughts, glad not to be immediately dismissed, "I say that we worry about that aspect of the war in a separate meeting or group. We can't leave it until after, but this seems to be more of a strategy meeting."

"Good point, but we have always covered all aspects of the war in these meetings, meaning this is included. I'm Matsuri, by the way."

Rin nodded, "I prefer Rin to Okumura."

"That's right, you have a twin. I'm Anfisa, by the way. None of us use our demon names here, nor our demon ranks. Got it?" the foreign woman was staring him sternly in the eyes.

"Yes, ma'am."

If she had been from a northern area in Gehenna similar to Russia, then the name and accent made sense, allowing Rin to dismiss it quickly.

"You spoke with a deceased loved one, earlier. Correct, Rin?" this boy spoke strongly and reminded him of Isamu. Rin looked to him before affirming the earlier conversation, "If it truly was the former Paladin, I expect he left you with something- an asset of sorts- correct? Would you mind demonstrating, as well as the possibility of a group study regarding it?"

Rin allowed the wings out slightly enough to fulfill his end of the deal before the boy began theorizing as to what could be connected and what abilities could come along with the wings, which seemed to change shade depending on the circumstances.

As the war council ended, Rin quickly made his way to True Cross, skipping the bus and trying to fly home. As unsuccessful (and painful) as the flight- and subsequently long walk, as he gave up halfway through due to the stabbing pain going through his wings and upper back- was, Rin felt a soft soreness that reminded him of the drills Shiro had put him and Yukio through as children, and of the first time he went on a mission with Yukio. Both were decently good memories, and he was pleased they were his first thoughts upon flying into his room. Seeing the time as past midnight, he unlocked his door and opened it, checking for Yukio. Assuming he was asleep, Rin walked down to the kitchen. Having skipped dinner to go to Isamu's, he quickly warmed up what Yukio had stuck in the fridge for him. He did not expect the hit to the back of the head he received, however, causing him to drop the container.

"What the hell?" he looked back only to see Yukio, "What was that for?"

"For sneaking out."

Rin grumbled under his breath before grabbing the container from the floor, checking the seal, and proceeding to eat the meal he had earlier ignored. He ignored Yukio's staunch glares and sighs, opting instead to hurry to bed as quickly as he could.

"Where have you been sleeping?"

"I'm staying in a different room. Does it matter which?" Rin looked at his brother, glad for the persona he developed at the church that gave the clear indications of an insensitive- or, as some had called him, surly- loner. He had used it on the streets and at school, but on his brother it seemed to be equally effective. Yukio simply sighed and sat back.

"Your behavior has changed as well. You pay attention in class and your grades have improved, though not overtly so. What is going on?"

"I want to live past my sixteenth birthday."

Yukio became silent at that and Rin silently thanked Heaven for it. He was still far too wary of speaking or referencing God, as far as he knew it was dangerous for even a half-demon with some attributes of an angel. It was not much later that Rin walked up the steps as Yukio was distracted and ran for his room. Ducking into a different room and taking refuge until Yukio gave up, he made to quickly leave for his own as he heard Yukio's door close.

Maybe Yukio was trying to make an effort, but there would always be a part of Rin that wouldn't trust him. And it didn't entirely have to do with being on opposite sides of the war.

[CHAPTER END]


	3. Initiation Arc: Leader

_**Initiation Arc: Leader**_

As the weeks progressed, Rin began disappearing once a week at intermittent times in the week. It became almost normal to Yukio, who had not stopped wondering about his twin, but had begun to worry more about the exams he was writing and the students in his class. His brother had not mended his friendships with them, and they seemed to be against rebuilding bridges as well. It came as a shock to him, however, when he would teach and Rin was not only present and awake, but succeeding in the lessons. At the moment, however, Yukio found himself sitting in on one of Shura's classes- as ordered by Mephisto.

He did not pay attention to the current lesson, so much as to the behaviors of his brother and Shura. There was an underlying tone of respect and an acknowledgment of each others' growing prowess in their fields of independent joint studies that had not been present before. Evidently, Shura knew something Yukio did not. In fact, much to Shura's chagrin, she knew the entirety of what she was allowed to of the resisting forces. Rin had approached her with the help of Anfisa and roped her into their ranks. Having been close to Fujimoto, it was advised by him- through one of his soldiers- that they should recruit her. She herself had joined them after a long argument and a battle of wits and blades between herself and Rin. As a spy, she had done quite well. Keeping her rank and gathering intelligence subtly, Shura had become an asset Isamu gladly accepted- though it went without saying Rin and Anfisa garnered quite a bit of his wrath for not having told him they were recruiting.

As Yukio observed, Rin watched the board carefully. Occasionally, he would control the chalk when Shura wasn't paying attention to write things on the board. Nothing obscene or impolite, but things that would alter the notes of the exwires, making certain demons (the ones he knew had a majority of their populace fighting with the army Isamu had built) harder to battle. Watching the scene, Yukio couldn't tell what was causing the chalk to write of its own volition, and- in consequence- shot at it.

"Oi! Four-eyes! What the hell do you think you're doing, shooting at my board?"

Shura glared at him as he answered, "Your chalk is writing without your knowledge."  
>Yukio continued arguing with Shura, and avoided looking at Rin. It was unlikely Rin had enough control of his flames to actually move objects with miniscule enough amounts that it went unnoticed. Upon the bell, he watched the group leave, preparing to go prepare for his next class with the exwires while they went home.<p>

Rin had enough time alone because of Yukio's schedule, but he still left as late as he could to wait for his brother. It was less of a habit now, and more of a concern for his brother's safety. There was always the possibility a member of the- as of yet, unnamed- resistance group would choose him as a target of sorts. He also knew that, while Yukio had started dismissing his disappearances- he had discovered Rin's room upon his return particularly late on a night he still needed to study- he would likely be demanding an alibi quite soon.

As such, Rin had begun taking notes at the war council in a basic word-to-word exchange code and passing them off as his notes for class. While his grades hadn't gone soaring to new heights, he knew they were noticeably higher, as he had brought them up enough to pass his courses for the year. Looking to his door as he prepared to leave, Rin saw Yukio standing outside. His excuse, while loosely prepared, would hopefully hold up under Yukio's scrutiny.

"Hey," he waved at his younger sibling, moving past him on the way out, "I'm going to a friend's house to study."

"I want to meet this friend."

Yukio had a no-nonsense demeanor in his stance, and his gaze affixed to his brother in the hopes of stopping the evasive nature Rin had displayed over the past several days.

Rin shook his head, "Sorry. It's a study group and the school has a preset number of people allowed in certain groups."

It was true. True Cross Academy- to keep their population's interest- allowed students to form groups if they fit within a set of rules, one of which established a preset number of members for certain types of groups, including study groups. Thus, many student interest groups came and went throughout a school year. Study groups were limited to eight- convenient should he host the war council given the number that attended at the largest was eight- and they were to report member numbers once a month. Rin had created a 'study group' with his cohorts from the war council under fake names that meshed with the few kids who still associated with him- most of whom did not attend cram school- and thus had the perfect alibi.

"Fine. But I expect you to have this study group over at some point."

Rin nodded and left his brother in the dorm. Since he had been exposed as a half demon, Yukio had begun to alternate in his treatment of Rin. Some days, he could not stop pestering Rin in an effort to keep him safe, and others he left Rin completely alone to do his own thing. Lately, he had started distancing himself from Yukio, which seemed to be working well for the both of them. When he arrived at Isamu's, he was acutely aware of only one other person's presence. Isamu sat alone today, but with several large tomes and a piece of paper covered in faint runes.

"Okay. You have probably noticed we don't always use the common demon tongue or Japanese, correct?" Rin nodded in confirmation, "What we do use on occasion is an ancient dialect of the demon tongue. Most demons forgot it as the new ones started emerging, so we have a decent amount of secrecy when conversing with it. Combine this with the number of Japanese words we have thrown in with it, and we have a nearly perfect code. These books will help you learn it, this paper will act as a translation guide and a note sheet. We all have one and it's keyed to us specifically. Contacting Matsuri would be as simple as writing his name down, the message, and then folding it and sealing it with your blue flames. Yours was a bit harder, hence the sample you had to give us last time, but it should work for you and only you, not for your brothers."

"Why would it work for them in the first place?"

"They share your demon paternity, giving them each an alternate versions of your flames. Thus, keying for blood would allow them full access and keying for 'Satan flame' would allow them a restricted form of access. We had to key it to your blood specifically and your flames specifically. I'll be teaching you how to use the written form of the Ancient Tongue for these kinds of things. In all honesty, it is much more practical than the new tongue."

Rin nodded before setting to work. While his progress was slow, the demonic origins of the language assisted with his learning of it. Rin looked carefully at the page he had translated, glad to have made so much progress in one evening (having made it through ten pages of text, correcting his translations each time Isamu pointed out mistakes and allowing him to learn nuances).

"It's late. I'm putting an auditory rune on your skin so you can hear the language and understand it a bit easier. While it doesn't translate everything fully, you can pick up the gist of what someone is saying. I'm also sending you home with these. And, Okumura?"

Rin motioned him to continue, knowing the news was likely to disappoint him.

"You are one of us- we have eight leaders to put in place of the eight kings. I hope you've realized you are the eighth in this group. You are a leader now. Your responsibilities lie here before they do with your family."

Rin nodded grimly. Yukio was as important to him as Shiro had been alive- and almost as much as the love Shiro had shown him, even after his death. Sadly, there had been animosity and grudges held between the two of them, as Rin had been putting his relationships aside for a time while he began working with Isamu, thus not resolving anything after the incident in the classroom. Looking back to Isamu, Rin spoke, "Yukio is my brother, and you are my closest friend. Friend-to-friend, I would like to request he does not become a major target."

Isamu nodded, the understanding clear. Yukio was safe if he didn't screw it up for himself. It was the best anyone could do in their situation, and Rin was willing to take it without looking the gift-horse in the mouth.

[CHAPTER END]

**My apologies for a late update today, you can always expect an update on Saturdays, unless I have warned you otherwise. Another important note, Shura will not have a major part in this story until after another arc, or possibly two, but it was important to establish her role as a spy for the group, which will be given a name in the next arc. Thank you for reading, and have a good weekend.**


	4. Initiation Arc: Repair

_**Initiation Arc: Repair**_

As more time passed with little to no communication, it became clear to Rin that his relationship with Yukio would never truly mend, but heal in much the same way as a deep cut would- while the tissue would mend, there would always be a bright reminder of the event. Even so, he found it difficult not to attempt healing their relationship as best he could with a joke when his brother walked up to his room and requested he come down and they eat dinner together- an activity that had not taken place since after Rin's trial- with a very sour, concerned look on his face.

"Is it a trap?" Rin had a light smirk on his face as he moved his eyes to his brother standing in the doorway.

Yukio looked at him incredulously before realizing the joke, and began to chuckle lightly, "No, it is not a trap. Why would you think that?"

Rin spared no joking suspicion in his gaze to Yukio, instead opting to lead the way downstairs. It had not escaped him, however, that the test day was looming ominously closer. He might not see Yukio again, as he would hide upon failure.

"Rin, how prepared are you for the test?"

Ah. This was what had Yukio seeming like a concerned mother-hen- he had planned to have a discussion regarding Rin's preparedness for the test. Not giving much away, Rin shrugged. "If I pass, I pass."

"And if you fail you die, so answer my question."

Rin shrugged again. He truly did not know what would be on the test, only that he had a back-up plan in place should something go wrong and the Vatican sought to execute him. Looking at the bracelet given to him by Tana, a demon from the Americas, he reminded himself how to utilize it.

He sincerely hoped the need for it would never arise. All of them held one for last minute escapes- though success was not guaranteed- and he would continue wearing it even after the test. Tana had designed it to look like regular jewelry- in this case making Rin's akin to a rosary of sorts.

The dinner passed quietly with little conversation. It wasn't uncommon in their dinners directly after Rin's arrival to True Cross for conversation to take place. It was understandable that Yukio was resentful- he had worked hard to get into True Cross on scholarship, and it had been handed to Rin- though he did not think the animosity (no matter what the heritage and inherited traits; they had the same parents) was appropriate.

He retired to his room immediately after the meal, calling Kuro to him in the Ancient Tongue. The agreement they had struck upon Rin's induction was clear. Kuro would not rat Rin out to anyone, so long as Rin made sure to warn him when he was leaving for any kind of assignment or war-related activity. Rin was also tasked with re-teaching Kuro the Ancient Tongue-something added to their promise after Rin began to learn it. No matter how often he used it, even when not near Yukio, it was clear it disturbed Yukio greatly Rin had begun to learn more of the demon culture._ Perhaps the idea I may be leaning away from him_, Rin mused,_ is causing him to wonder if I'm in any imminent danger. Of course, that would be outside of the Vatican and True Cross, as that test is danger in its own right_.

As Rin fell asleep, he was aware that Yukio was standing at the door, watching him cautiously.

Yukio had never felt as uneasy about Rin's activities as he did that evening. Rin's disregard for his concern- where he would have once alleviated it through distraction- and his own nonchalance about using demon tongue like it was a common occurrence were-to him- clear indicators for worry. Watching his brother, he saw books off to the side of his room. There were a number of them, all in various languages. Looking closer, he saw the books were organized by shelf, topic, then language. Rin's manga, while still on the shelves, had been placed in between the bookcase and his bed in a box with quick scrawl. Somehow, whatever study group Rin had become involved in had completely turned his persona around. It was shocking to see some of the books. There were ones on Demonology the likes of which the Vatican did not even carry.

Perhaps Rin would allow him to borrow some of his books one day.

Rin's room was also abnormally clean. Something other than his new compatriots had completely changed his brother, and he had an idea as to what. Rin finally had people to call friends, and now they had abandoned him. It pained Yukio as much as it had when he realized how badly he had damaged his relationship with Rin by calling him a demon that day in the classroom.

He hadn't acknowledged Rin's humanity, and as such Rin had no choice but to acknowledge Yukio's. They were never the same, but Rin hadn't had the time to adjust to the reality of his heritage or the existence of demons before being thrown into it.

_Neither did you_, Yukio thought back to himself, remembering when he began his exorcist training, _You may have had a choice, but it wasn't long before you were thrust into this reality headfirst as well._

Rin sneezed loudly in his sleep, causing Yukio slight alarm. It wasn't often his brother did anything in his sleep other than lay there silently (occasionally fidgeting). Watching him once more, Yukio walked to the bed across the room, seeing some sort of scrawl he was too tired to make out. Laying down, he slept in the same room as Rin for what seemed the first time in years.

[CHAPTER END]

**I apologize for confusion if you are on the alert list as I forgot to write in the Author's Note upon editing. I will be updating tomorrow, but not every Sunday, so look out for that tomorrow.  
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**Thank you again for reading, and should you have an opinion regarding the story so far or my portrayal of characters, please drop a comment in the review box.**

**Thanks and have a great weekend.**


	5. Initiation Arc: Prepare

_**Initiation Arc: Prepare**_

Rin awoke the next day to see his brother laying on the bed across from him. Smiling, he stood and stretched. It was Sunday, and school was off for the day. For Rin, however, there was still quite a bit of studying to do. While much of it would be done at home, he would later be arriving at Isamu's for an evening cramming session. He only had six days until his test at the Vatican, and he was hoping to pass. Should that happen, he could work his way up the ranks and act as a spy- a possibility that reaped more rewards than the alternative test results, as more information could be garnered as an exorcist through eavesdropping on the others he would work with.

Should he fail the test, however, he would become a discreet member, working from the shadows and pulling rescue or retrieval missions with Tana and Matsuri. Walking into the restroom just down the hall, he prepared for the day, even going as far as to become prepared should anything unexpected come up. He knew that there was slim chance of the exwires actually talking to him outside of what was required should a mission arise, but he still held out for a chance of reconciliation. Upon returning to his room, he found Yukio to be stretching and awakening as well. Grabbing some books, Rin greeted him and walked downstairs to make breakfast. It was a casual affair, but one that took quite a bit of time, as Yukio hadn't had the chance the night prior to warn him that the exwires would, in fact, be arriving that morning.

It wasn't long before he was in front of all of them, eating and skimming the book on demonology given to him by Matsuri which was written in the Ancient Tongue. As the weeks and months had passed, Rin had become proficient in the Ancient Tongue, gaining speed with it (learning it at the speed Isamu had said was usual, assisting Rin's academic self-worth exponentially). The theory behind it was the ingrained heritage in demon nature that allowed the language to be learned easily, as well as the component of the language's own imbued power that drew upon their own demonic powers. There was a component of ancient magics that made the Ancient Tongue far more useful than the modern one or many of the revised versions, but overall the group had found the Ancient Tongue to be far superior through one simple fact. One learned it through reading, and not through speaking. It was a strange fact of the demon languages, but there were only a few that could not be learned through immersion or study. One had to read the language- preferably with the translation sheet given to the group by Isamu, which had been developed by demons in the past and could be found in almost any demon home- and then speak it. Matsuri had placed it to the innate magic and power within the language itself. It had been noted in several books on demonology that the demon languages gained power as they were used in spells, rituals and sealings. As such, the oldest one would naturally have the greatest amount of power.

Disregarding the looks he got for the book he had, Rin quickly finished his breakfast and vanished to his room. He may have obligations to Yukio as a current exwire- and perhaps a mission could do him good- but his need to study outweighed his need to please a teacher, something he had never tried hard with either way.

It was an hour later that Yukio called for him. Stuffing the books in his bag and grabbing Kurikara from the corner, he analyzed his runework sealing the sword into the scabbard, keyed by Anfisa to be just as specific as his note paper. Not bad for a beginning runesmith, but it would only hold up for a short while.

"Coming!"

The exwires noted the change in Kurikara immediately. The scabbard had been made white through a purging ritual- returning Rin's flames to him where he had then received the help of Anfisa to seal them into his wings, an artifact he had complete control over, and which could not be taken. The other changes were some basic runes for strengthening the sword and scabbard, as well as one for equal power transference. Kurikara, as a demon-slaying blade, was imbued strongly with its own power. Given the guidance and mediation of the runes, Rin would have the ability to not only access the power, but to feed his own into Kurikara, much like he had before when his flames had been sealed within it. His flames had, however, become easier to control with them being sealed inside of a part of him, rather than in a sword with which he had no physical connection. The scabbard had become a group painting project- more due to Tana and Matsuri (whom had done so for the sole purpose of its artistic nature- so the base and top were covered in wrapping designs of traditional Japanese landscape work. The only non-original piece was the carving of wings that surrounded the runes, as done by Anfisa to guide his flames more accurately from his wings to his blade, as well as for assisting him in flight and acting as a marker.

He remembered quite well the first few times he had tried flying, and the hilarity the war council had found in it. As a runesmith, Anfisa had told him quite clearly to create a marker. Any decent runesmith would mark their work, as runes could be inscribed in codes depending on which runic language was used. Anfisa, being several thousand years old, had not taken an apprentice of her own, though she had started making exceptions at the beginning of the war, and Rin was one of them. Runes allowed them to strengthen their weapons, lay an attack, or send messages all without the risk of a code being broken.

Walking out the door, he was aware of Shura coming from the side of the wall.

"Oi. What happened to your sword? You're gonna need your damn flames!"

Rin continued walking, allowing himself to stop only when he realized he wouldn't know where to go. Yukio and the others had walked slower, a debriefing taking place.

"Rin, seeing as you missed the debriefing, I'm going to lend you the mission assignment. There will be some pages have been doused in holy water, so be careful not to burn yourself."

Rin nodded, taking the folder and reading through it. Kanji had become slightly harder to read, as most of his material lately had been the Ancient Tongue, but not impossible once he completely adjusted. Much like there were similar words and characters throughout languages, the Ancient Tongue had many characters similar to common Kanji, causing some confusion as they would often mean something close to the exact opposite of their Kanji counterparts. Anfisa had shown Rin a more recent demon language alphabet and the Russian alphabet, showing him the similarities between the two. Finally having adjusted to Kanji again, Rin's reading speed quickened. Yukio hadn't noticed it until he saw Rin flipping through pages, reviewing one he had looked at previously.

One of the ones soaked in holy water.

Rin hadn't been aware- nor did Yukio know of the changes caused by Fujimoto- but holy water had a diminished effect (though it could still cause quite a bit of pain). The amount of exposure the paper had been given to air, as well as the amount of times Yukio and Shura had handled it, had gotten rid of some of the excess water, leaving just enough that Rin thought he had gotten a paper cut.

Yukio was about to yell out to Rin, but then saw him throw it down with the pile onto his lap, searching his hand for noticeable injuries. Had Rin not felt the burning? He watched as Rin's eyes flitted through the papers quickly, a speed slightly faster than Yukio remembered seeing Rin read. The bus was almost to the destination- one Rin would likely wish to never see again- as Rin handed him back the folder.

"Sorry it took so long," Rin's hand shook a bit, likely due to holding holy water for so long, as he surveyed their surroundings, "So where are we staying? If you are with the priests, I may not be staying."

Rin had apologized so profusely to the priests after Fujimoto's death, but his own anguish wouldn't allow him to return to the church where Fujimoto had died if it was to stay longer than the length of a service. When Yukio told him they were, in fact, staying at the old church, Rin nodded. The exwires watched in interest.

"I'm going to see if I can find somewhere else to stay. I'm getting off at the next stop. Don't worry about me getting lost, just tell me when to meet you and where."

Yukio nodded, deciding Rin would need to deal with Fujimoto's death alone, "Just be at the church before ten so we can get some discussion in before starting the mission."

Rin nodded as the bus stopped. Seeing their teacher hold a civil conversation with the demon, the other students- several of whom had already tried to reach out to Rin subtly- began wondering if their teacher was, in fact, feeling guilty for his treatment of Rin as well. Past events aside, Rin was Yukio's twin. They had grown up together, and at the end of the day it would never come down to one of them or the other, but the two would fight together.

Always.

Rin, however, had plans elsewhere. Running from the bus stop, Shiemi was hard-pressed not to comment on his knowledge of these streets. It was the red-light district in this area, and his ease wandering was slightly disconcerting. She watched as the bus passed the last street he was running down, and saw him go up to an apartment and enter. That was the last she would see of him until ten, that much she knew.

Rin's studying and training session lasted three and a half hours. While originally it was slated to be four, his commitments with the exwires held him from the full length. Having been drilled, quizzed, tested and then given an hour of Isamu's idea of basic physical training, Rin was exhausted by the time he had to run back to the church, his watch reading nearly ten at night. Bidding Isamu a quick goodbye- which was followed by wishes for luck on the test, as nothing was scheduled in the war council or studying anytime before the test.

Running to the church, Rin went from worn out to struggling for breath. Knocking on the door, the clock on his phone read 10:10. Having left with only five minutes to spare, Rin was not surprised he was as late as he was. Knocking on the door, Rin began to violently cough as he leaned against the wall. His exercises had not only been draining, but caused him great injury to his chest. While he should heal quickly, it was still harder than normal to breath. He would not forgive Isamu for the intensity of the physical work-out when he knew Rin would be running several kilometers to the church. Rin's eyes closed as his coughing became worse. He almost didn't hear Yukio yelling at him for being late.

"Water," Rin barely managed to rasp. He was very dehydrated, and his coughing was not only drying, but scratching at his throat. As Yukio turned to the church to re-enter, he could still hear Rin rasping behind him.

"Hey, Teach," Shima waved at him, "What's up?"

"Rin's having trouble breathing," Yukio refused to be anything less than professional as he spoke, "He has requested water, likely to help subside his undoubtedly dry throat. Will you check to be sure he is okay?"

Shima's eyes widened as he ran outside to see Rin barely holding himself up and breathing against the wall of the church. He had just enough time between coughing fits to wave at Shima in a non-nonchalant greeting before it began again.

When Yukio ran out, Rin had drank the water as quickly as he could. Breathing heavily, Rin finally felt his breathing ease out. He had no punctures to his lungs and no broken bones, but he wouldn't be surprised if there had been some bruising anywhere in the chest- internal or external. He had been glad, however, for his demon healing speeds. The combination with water sometimes seemed to work miracles. As Yukio began berating him once again, Rin began laughing.

"Yukio, chill," Rin still didn't have all of his breath, but he had enough to return the berating gently, "I didn't mean to be late. I couldn't find a place to stay at first, but met up with an old acquaintance. I lost track of time and had to run home."

"You wouldn't be coughing like this if you hadn't gotten into a fight, already expending energy."

"Leave it be, Yukio. It makes no difference. I was late, and that's the only major thing you should be worrying about. I'm here now, though, and in a minute I'll be fine," Rin's mouth twitching into the smiles he used to wear when reassuring Yukio his injuries did not hurt, and that it was well worth it to come home covered in bruises to protect his brother.

Yukio sighed, glad that his brother, while lying, was regaining some of his old, protective zeal.

[CHAPTER END]

**Alright, this was a special double-update this weekend, and I hope you enjoyed it. I will resume my Saturday-only updates next week, so keep an eye out for that next Saturday. Please let me know what you think by dropping a comment in the review box, I love hearing what you think!**

**Thanks again for reading, and have a nice week!**

**~endlessnotebooks**


	6. Initiation Arc: Scrimmage

_**Initiation Arc: Scrimmage**_

As Rin and his breathing settled, Yukio brought everyone into the main reception area of the church. Rin sent sheepish gazes towards the priests occasionally, feeling extremely awkward being welcomed as warmly as he was. Seeing the church without Fujimoto felt wrong to Rin, and he made a note to pray to his father- whether it be against Isamu's wishes or not- that evening when he returned.

Standing with the group, it became obvious just how tired and beat up he was. Hiding it from the group as well as he was, he nearly fell standing (having sat away from the group, he had no one to offer him help, especially given his condition earlier). Glancing towards him, Shura had to admit the boy had nerves of steel.

"I'm going to get some water before we go. I was dehydrated earlier, and you know how that ended," Rin smiled and walked to the kitchen.

The greeting he received from one of the older, less often seen priests- Abukara Kenshin- had him stop.

"It wasn't your fault. Anyone would have reacted the way you did, especially given the circumstances."

Kenshin, however, considered Rin's sad, yet relieved face, a complete victory. He had seen the way Rin had practically tortured himself (he had assisted in moving the last of both boys' belongings) after Fujimoto's death- not eating, throwing himself into job-hunting and finding a way out, and locking himself away in the dorm room he and Yukio had shared- and was glad he could relieve some of the young man's worries.

As Rin left, he paused and thanked Kenshin.

It was most definitely a victory in the eyes of many of the priests. Perhaps, as slim as the chance was, they would be able to mend their relationship with Rin. No one had held it against him, but he had against himself. The church had been hard to maintain after Fujimoto's death, but they managed it for the twins. Both boys would always have a home to return to.

It was not far past three in the morning when the exwires- drowsy from the traveling and then settling and leaving the church- were quickly alerted to an unwelcome presence after a loud shaking and inhuman screech. Rin instantly jumped, instinct taking over as Shura had done similar things to him during the time she was training him, and his constant training and 'surprises' from the leaders had ingrained a sense of constant movement in lieu of a threat. He rarely reacted rashly- if he could avoid it.

Analyzing the situation, he went into an immediate mode of protection. Extending his wings into shadows to avoid discovery and shouting a foreign command, he created a runic barrier around the exwires to prevent attacks from coming too close to anyone, especially the Arias. Taking off he was acutely aware that should they lose the Arias, they could lose the entire fight.

As he flew higher, Rin sent shots of flames down at the advancing demon while he continued on an unexpected updraft. Once reaching what he considered to be an adequate height, Rin made his wings small enough to be simple feathers on his back. As he fell, Rin tried not to panic at the speed he was falling and aimed his sword at the demon.

The group, however, was unaware as to what had happened to Rin, wondering where he disappeared to. It came as a shock when a dark shape cut down through the demon in front of them as Rin landed. The others, having taken their standard positions, quickly began launching their own attacks, though in the light of the Arias' limited abilities Rin had changed tactics once more.

Shouting in the same foreign language, the exwires saw the runic circle surround the Arias and Shiemi

It was, in truth, his main goal to shield them and allow them time to exorcise the demon without being attacked. Shiemi, sweet as she was, also needed protection. Her use as a doctor could never be underestimated, but her self defense was completely reliant on her familiar, Nii-san. Immediately falling into old patterns of his personality, Rin began defending the others as best he could.

Bon continued his chant, though his thoughts led elsewhere. He could not decipher the script around them, but as attacks were continually aimed at them there were air and stone daggers lashing toward their opponent. Rin would occasionally renew the script as it faded, yelling the same command as he had earlier. Kurikara, Bon noticed, was not surrounded in the blue flames, but instead seemed to have the deep white-grey of Direfiend Fire. Direfiend Fire was a common weapon for exorcists, as demons could not stand it making contact with their skin. It had been developed, in truth, from a type of demon whose fire burnt like the blue flames, with the difference of actually effecting any and all demons. Rin seemed to have surrounded his palms in Satan's flames, using it as a buffer between him and the Direfiend Fire. Seeing the intense look on Rin's face, there were obvious changes. Rin seemed to be taking in the battle around him, using the foreign commands to attack and using Kurikara to fight with his fire and the Direfiend Fire.

There was a shout, causing Yukio and Bon to turn their gazes from the battle. There was a boy behind them pushing an attack away from himself before calling Rin once again. Rin sliced the demon once more before falling back and regrouping with the strange young man as they began speaking. The language was strange, unlike one Bon had ever heard, yet utterly familiar. Yukio had heard the language, as it was the same demon language Rin used when speaking to Kuro. There was only a limited number of things in the area that took a precedent need for discussion, and that happened to be the demon the exwires were fighting. Yukio's eyes flitted to the beast, as the two had begun to drag it slowly away from the exorcists, fighting in tandem and efficiently.

The boy seemed to immediately fall into step with Rin, and the two began fighting as though they had already fought together for years. While the boy- Matsuri, judging by the name Rin was yelling when they changed tactics- was smaller and not built for fighting, he seemed to have a far more advanced understanding of the commands Rin had used earlier, using one to send a bolt of fire at the demon.

Rin seemed to be flying- something Yukio debated questioning him about- when the fire went past him and he could see large black wings emerging from his back in what Yukio saw as an avenging angel, sharp feathers that seemed to be able to cut all on their own while being as soft and benign as that of a small bird's. He quickly joined in with Rin and Matsuri, losing track of his brother in the adrenaline produced during the fight. They were lucky, as the demon had not brought any cohorts-nor had any reinforcements been sent- along other than some coal tars, all of which Izumo had taken charge of as she ordered Shima and Bon around.

As quickly as the fight had started, it had ended just as seemingly quickly. The only indicator of how long it had truly lasted was the small bit of sun peaking over the valley. It may have been summer, but either way, the exwires had been fighting for over two hours, and as such Yukio took them back to the church via one of the True Cross keys. Even Rin stayed, though he had put up quite a fight about it with Yukio. While the group was friendly to Rin, he still bordered the fringe, not attempting to be friendly with them once more (although he wasn't rude). The priests all seemed very happy at the temporary return of the Okumura twins, going as far as telling stories of their childhoods to the exwires (much to their embarrassment).

By the time they returned to True Cross the next day, Rin seemed nervous. Looking at him, one wouldn't be able to tell, and as such only Yukio had noticed anything out of the ordinary. When they returned to True Cross, Yukio ordered everyone to his dorms in an effort to not only check them for injuries, but to push Rin to socialize once more with other exwires. Yukio had seen him socializing multiple times on-campus with other students in the regular high school portion, and had begun to find Rin studying with others in his year and asking them questions when he didn't understand things.

As he and the group walked into the dorms, however, Rin quickly said something to Kuro in the same strange language he had been using for months and which only one other person seemed to understand- the boy from earlier (whom had disappeared with a short introduction after the battle was over)- before disappearing up the stairs.

Sighing, Yukio let it it go. Rin had only a few more days that he knew he would be alive. After that, it was his performance on the Vatican's test that would ensure his survival. And even then, Yukio knew Angel would always be trying to find ways to order his brother's execution.

[CHAPTER END]

**I apologize for the extremely late update. The servers in my area were down, and as such I could not access anything related to my stories or profiles all day.**

**Thank you for reading, and drop a comment in the box below if you have an opinion. **

**Have a great weekend and an excellent week!**

**~endlessnotebooks**


	7. Initiation Arc: Test

_**Initiation Arc: Test**_

Rin sat nervously on a chair outside of the Exorcist Exam room, waiting for his results of his written test. As an Upper Second-Class exorcist, Anfisa had managed to become his Vatican escort. Watching the boy flit his eyes around the room nervously, she elbowed him and spoke in quiet, accented Japanese instead of giving them away using the Ancient Tongue.

"You okay?"

Rin didn't get along with all of the leaders, but Anfisa was akin to an older sister. Tana's younger brother Darren always conflicted with him in the way that an older brother would. The way he had occasionally conflicted with Yukio in their childhood. Matsuri often tried to battle him in wit- something Rin had become well-versed in after far too many hours debating anything and everything with Matsuri. For the most part, however, he could get along with everyone, even if they didn't like each other personally. It was a good and bad thing, the level of semi-professionalism with which Rin treated those who were- for want of a better term- his co-workers.

As Anfisa watched Rin fidge she reminded himself of the test procedure according to what she had done to pass several years prior. Rin would have a practical portion of the test, but he would have to wait an hour between the written and practical exams as Angel was grading the test himself- though Anfisa had insisted he have someone from the Grigori and then Yukio both with him grading carbon copies of the test, so as to avoid Angel failing him immediately without a fair grade.

"Okumura," Angel came out, anger and disappointment clear in his eyes. Evidently, his hope of executing the half-demon had been crushed in the written portion, leaving him only the hope of Rin failing the practical for his Meister as a Knight. Rin had been trained relentlessly for hours on end, and Anfisa had complete faith in him. Arthur, however, had made his prejudices against Rin very clear through his body language, "Your practical examination will be conducted by one Donatien Beauchene."

The French man entered the room and greeted Rin in sufficient, but heavily accented Japanese, guiding him to the practical examination room. Rin looked once more at the bracelet, which had caught Anfisa's eye as well. The runes were arranged and carved carefully into the leather, showing true craftsmanship.

"Okay, Okumura. We are going to spar. I will judge your performance, after which, I will deliver the results of this test to your brother and your escort, Ms. Alkaev."

"You mean Anfisa?" Rin had never really learned Anfisa's surname, opting instead to address her as their whole group did, by her given name.

"Yes. She is rather fond of her given name, seeing as she insists she introduce herself by it, and it alone."

Rin smirked, joining the man in light laughter as he set up the spar. Soon, however, it would all be business again and he would be fighting to determine his fate.

_No pressure_, he thought, _None whatsoever. Isamu, you bastard._

* * *

><p>The others from the cram school became aware of the date very soon after entering Yukio's class. Shura was acting as a substitute for the day, though no one was truly paying attention.<p>

There was every possibility in the world Rin might fail, and should that happen, amends could not be made with the boy. It tore through many, as forgiveness seemed to be at the heart of the matter.

What right did they have to be forgiven?

And yet, they knew in the back of their minds Rin would forgive them. He was too nice, too naive to hold a grudge. He believed everyone to be somehow good, except when they had proven they weren't. Looking at the clock, all of the exwires left the class exactly as the bell rang. Shura had not bothered teaching, and they had not bothered trying. It was with an air of solemnity that they all returned to their lockers or dorms.

As Suguro opened his locker, one of Rin's friends from the regular high school stopped him, "Have you seen Okumura-kun? He wasn't in class today from what Hiroshi was saying, and he didn't show up at study group. He said he would help me with my history homework today too..."

She had trailed off. She was sweet, in a harsh way. Suguro looked her in the eye before saying, "He was busy today. Had some family matters to attend to. Who are you?"

"I'm a close friend of his. My name is Hamasaki Etsu," she bowed slightly towards him, "Rin has mentioned you. You are Ryujji Suguro, correct?"

Suguro nodded before smirking, "Yeah. You work with him, right?"

"Oh, yes!" She smiled brightly. Etsu knew where Rin was, but stopping his friend for information was an opportunity to gain knowledge which could, potentially, be used at a later date, "He tends to do whatever he can to keep me out of the kitchen. You were there one evening, right? I think I remember him mentioning you!"

"Where do you guys work?"

Looking at the boy in front of her, Etsu contemplated her answer, "It's a small restaurant toward the edge of town. I would invite you, but I've gathered from what Rin says that you aren't close anymore."

The girl smiled as Suguro replied, "Well... We haven't spoken in months. How is he doing?"

"He is well. You know, he actually used to talk about you and your friends quite often. But now he is very involved in the study group and we all enjoy his company. At work though, he and Matsuri, one of our co-workers, never shut up!"

Bon laughed.

He didn't deserve his forgiveness. But he sorely hoped he would receive it.

"Well," Etsu turned away, "It was good to talk with you Suguro-san. Have a nice day."

After leaving the boy behind her, Etsu smirked. It was hard to imagine someone spilling so many secrets willingly, but humans always revealed what they least expected to. It was just a matter of paying attention. She had several more students she wished to speak with, but it would not do to make connections with those who saw Rin everyday. Yes, it was, in fact, better to make an acquaintance and then move on from there.

After all, she would already take Rin's place as the student spy in a few years, and sooner should he be discovered. Learning the cram school and the people in it could wait for a while longer.

Laughing, she left the True Cross grounds in an amber colored flash, leaving a horseshoe emblazoned open-end up inside a circle surrounding the space her foot had been only moments before.*

* * *

><p>Isamu rarely came near True Cross. After all, none of his brothers truly appreciated him and Samael was the worst of them all. He was the first born, not them. It wasn't something he advertised to his comrades, especially given his relation, therefore, to Rin. However, he had to see if his youngest brother passed the test.<p>

He had watched Rin grow up, then watched him go to school. It was from a distance, but it was enough for him. He befriended his brother in an odd way, had provided him solace in a moment of weakness.

He, however, could not afford to mess the revolution up. So long as he carried his powers in secret, he would be fine.

There was nothing stronger than the blue flames his youngest sibling carried, but his black ones marked him as a protector. Something to be feared by most demons, but rejected by their King. No son of Satan was going to have the black flames of a protector.

His brother his charge and his relatives his enemy, Isamu watched as Rin went into the practical exam.

The boy would be fine. He had always been able to fight for himself.

In a quiet hiss of black, Isamu was gone from True Cross. There was nothing more he could do at this point but plan for the future.

* * *

><p>Rin had not made the first strike. Anfisa had taught him to wait for the first strike. It would, most likely, be the one his opponent was most comfortable with, thus letting him know how to build his defense. Blocking had been easy, but the fight stretched on.<p>

Donatien was surprised with the boy's ease in the fight. He had not gone easy on him in the slightest, opting instead to fight full strength.

As the battle pressed on, Rin found himself dodging more strikes than he was sending and parrying more jabs than he shot. Slowly, as Donatien wore down, Rin took the opportunity to strike, but found it futile.

The battle continued, and Rin had no clue how it would end.

**[****End Arc]  
><strong>**The total time passed in perspective of the story throughout this arc is approximately three months. Total time passed: 0 years, 3 months. Current Month: June**

**[END CHAPTER]**

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><p><strong>Thank you for taking the time to read this; I hope you enjoyed it. For those who may be wondering, Etsu will have multiple appearances in this story, but she does not become a major character for several more arcs (much like Shura). Let me know what you think, and feel free to criticize me however you like. I will take all criticism under advisement and be sure to use it to improve my writing quality.<br>**

**This arc has ended, and the next arc is the Infiltration Arc. I have the entire story planned, though it is all subject to change. Let me know what you think of this arc in particular if you have an opinion. No Donatien has no major appearances planned, but as I said, all plans are subject to change. I would also appreciate opinions on the test sequence I developed. I do not know or remember the test from Blue Exorcist, but I assumed they would likely change it for Rin's circumstances so they could hold more control for it, even if people were taking the test elsewhere.  
><strong>

**Thanks again, and have a great weekend.**

**~endlessnotebooks**

* * *

><p><strong>*Amber is a stone associated with luck, and the open-end up horseshoe is a symbol for luck and protection. Circles are an ancient symbol of luck, also symbolizing completeness, perfection, and wholeness.<br>**


	8. Infiltration Arc: Results

**INFILTRATION ARC  
><strong>

_**Infiltration Arc: Results**_

Yukio was pacing in front of Rin's escort for the test. She was a Russian girl who spoke very proficient Japanese, as was made clear by her conversation with Rin earlier, not that he could hear them. He couldn't help but picture the worst for his brother, who had never been very studious. He had been shocked by the results of the written exam, almost not believing the answers his brother had gotten correct (especially given the test was much harder than it would have been in prior years), and the efficiency with which his written responses explained his rationale for the questions.

"You know," Yukio turned to the Russian, recalling her name to be Anfisa, "I've met your brother before. He's a friend of a friend. When I heard he had a huge test, I offered to help him study. I hadn't realized it was this test at first, but I helped him. He's brighter than you give him credit for. I remember Isamu training him for hours with swords of all kinds. Even though he doesn't have Kurikara for the test, I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Rin has never performed well on tests. I can't help but worry."

Anfisa nodded, leaving the boy to stew in his own anxiety. As much as Rin cared for him- that had been made abundantly clear to her when she had protested Isamu's order not to go after Yukio specificially, even given prior threats to someone now within their ranks- she felt he had done inadequate work in preparing his brother for the test. The average class would not prepare him quickly enough for this test, making her glad Isamu had gotten a hold of him when he had.

"Thank you, though," Yukio looked Anfisa in the eye, "It's not often people see past his heritage. Thank you."

"You know," looking up at the ceiling, Anfisa allowed herself to taunt the young man in front of her, genius or not, he had come to seem undeniably cruel based on the stories Rin rarely told of his life at the Academy, "You have the same heritage, yet you once told him he was a demon that should be executed."

"How do you know about that?"

"Well, Rin and I met through a friend, but we do talk sometimes. I also talk with Tana and Etsu- co-workers of his- quite regularly. So I know quite a bit about this brother of yours."

Yukio nodded, having sat down. He seemed truly ashamed, "Part of that was our father's death. I- I blamed Rin."

"It seems you still do, somewhat. Perhaps you should consider how you would have reacted in his shoes. After all, you were seen to be more irresponsible than he is at times when you were younger."

Anfisa, used to being the voice of reason within the leading group, looked at Yukio. She was glad to see him considering his own actions. Anfisa, as rash as she was, knew what losing family to a feud was like. Amaimon had been her half brother by her mother, and the two had gotten along quite splendidly until he was convinced to join Mephisto's coup. Looking out the window, she stood when the door opened. Her memory of Amaimon would always be the little brother whom her mother tried to protect from Satan's influence. He was not this insane, apathetic man Mephisto had made him.

No. That was not the direction for her thoughts to go. Amaimon could stay in the back of her mind for now.

"Okay, kid. How'd you do?"

Rin shrugged, somewhat bruised and battered with several cuts from the fight. Donatien followed behind him, seemingly more battered. _Or, perhaps that is the view of an older sister,_ Anfisa had, much like Rin, come to see the other as her sibling. As such, she was careful of potential bias in his favor come any major situation.

"Well, seeing as he gave me a long run for my money and almost defeated me, I must say he passed. It was a pleasure, Okumura. You fight well."

"As to you, sir," Rin kept his features neutral.

_Good boy. Don't let them see you stressed,_ Anfisa had been warning him for weeks against wearing his heart on his sleeve when it wasn't necessary. As such, he had begun heeding her advice and now could be as cold and stoic as Isamu, _Not that we need another one of him._

The man laughed, walking out of the room as Anfisa grabbed Rin's shoulder, "You know what this means, right?"

"No," Rin suddenly looked panicked as he shook his head, "Isamu isn't getting everyone blackout drunk. I'm not going to let that happen again. No."

Anfisa laughed. Rin had once had alcohol with their group, only to discover he had a very low tolerance for it. After two or three shots- Anfisa couldn't remember accurately, as she was the bartender for the group when they had events and lost count for each individual person after a while- of their drink that night, he had stopped, already on the border of tipsy and drunk. Anfisa herself found it enjoyable, as she herself was an intoxication demon and derived energy from others' misfortune with any sort of intoxicating substance- even if it often meant her maturity went out the window. She could not get drunk, but the power she derived from large groups getting drunk was often enough to make her seem like she had too much to drink. The next meeting, he had arrived angry and yelling at them for the hangover he had barely managed to hide from his brother. It had resulted in a quaint, light-hearted meeting like they had not had in many months.

"Everyone else can get drunk, Rin. You can have a single shot."

"After the hangover last time, I'm not touching the stuff."

It seemed Rin had thought Yukio had left for their dorm. After his initial relief regarding his brother's safety, he immediately approached him, clearly angered by Rin's actions.

"When did you have alcohol? You're underage!"

"It was once, with friends who are of age and it was only two small glasses. I learned my lesson," suddenly his emotions became guarded again. Anfisa sighed quietly. The closer he became to the group, the further he seemed to drift from Yukio. It was not a surprise- Yukio did not hide his prejudice as well as he thought he did. He was not as judgmental as some were, but it was still enough to make her want to throw him into a ditch of snakes.

His brother immediately dragged Yukio away, glaring at Anfisa as she shrugged and walked with them, "His avoidance of the stuff is half the reason Isamu lets him work the bar anyways. That and it's funny- a bartender that doesn't drink."

She had hoped to get Rin to celebrate with Yukio either way, so it lifted her mood to hear Rin say he wouldn't go to the celebration with Anfisa, but go with his brother. She could understand clinging to any hope of connection with a sibling, regardless of whether or not they hate you. Rin had tried so hard to mend things with his brother, and she respected him for it.

She remembered a time when she was like him. However, she had given up after a millennia of effort. Amaimon would likely never see or hear from her again.

Watching Yukio Okumura- whom she met once in passing as a child, having thought he was far too serious then, and holding that opinion now- drag his brother home, Anfisa smiled sadly, walking to her own apartment. The news could wait until the next meeting. Besides, a small scare was due for the leaders. Not hearing from Rin this evening would be perfect.

[CHAPTER END]

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><p><strong>Very Anfisa centric, I hope you like some of the revelations I brought to light here. Yes, it is important that you note her relationship to Amaimon, as there will be parallels. <strong>

**Any opinions on Anfisa? On her view of Yukio? On Yukio himself? Drop a review!**

**Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend!**

**~endlessnotebooks**


	9. Infiltration Arc: Breathe

**_Infiltration Arc: Brea_****the**

Yukio could barely breathe as he saw Rin leaving his practical. Rin had, at one time, shown his successes in his facial expressions, but now he was carefully measured in his composure and expression, nothing betraying his thoughts. Yukio, having not been able to see Rin for several days, however, was still hoping to learn how to read him through this facade, and had missed much of the time he would have liked to learn the smaller, subtler ticks.

Like the sweeping eyes which seemed to see everything and nothing as Rin took in his surroundings. Anfisa greeted him fondly, and Yukio was glad Rin at least had a supportive escort, as things would have been that much more difficult for Rin- and Yukio- to contend with if they had seen extensive discrimination against him for his heritage.

As the test proctor came from the room and informed him Rin had passed, Yukio felt his breath return in a rush. He may have been breathing, but he might as well have not been. He felt lighter than ever now that he knew he would not have to worry about this damned test any longer. It had never occurred to him how far Rin was behind the others until this day, nor would he recall Rin's stiff form as he stood in the testing center, anxious to leave.

Dragging his brother from the testing hall, the trip home was comfortable as Rin- likely exhausted from studying the night before and the practical against Donatien- fell asleep on the way home, leaving a softer disposition that still spoke of great stress and worry lining his entire posture. While the trip home was slow-going for Yukio, he couldn't help but smile like an idiot at his relief. His brother was safe. The residual threat didn't seem to matter for that space of time. Rin, however, was half-asleep and quite content on his own seat, a novel given to him by Matsuri laying open on his lap. They were going to debate it the next time they saw each other, and as such Rin hoped to have finished it. The debates regarding anything and everything had become somewhat normal after he had assisted Rin and the exwires in dealing with the large demon in the field.

Yukio, peering at the novel, recognized it. He had left his copy at the old church, but had never suspected Rin would show it the slightest interest. This copy seemed fairly new to him, and his was very battered comparatively. Looking over his brother's shoulder, Yukio glanced at the page as Rin began to stir. His brother was a little more than half-way through the book, and had evidently found it interesting

"Are you enjoying that book?"

Rin nodded, suddenly preparing to become humorous if the situation so called for it, "It's quite interesting. A friend of mine pushed it onto me so we could have a debate at work in a few days when our shifts overlap."

"Are you okay, Rin?"

The unprompted question threw the newly minted exorcist off guard for a moment, "I just found out all the threats to my life can be subtle now, instead of one gigantic, major test hanging over me. But other than that, yeah. I'm fucking fantastic. How about you, Yukio? Feel like sharing?"

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't asked what or why I'm reading a normal novel, or how I pulled this off, for that matter. Normally- and I'm not saying I want you to do this- you interrogate me if I so much as sneeze strangely."

Rin smiled as Yukio became slightly nervous at the response, prompting laughter from the both of them. It had been a long time, Yukio realized, since he and Rin had joked, even if Rin's humor had become wry and abrasive. His studies and former exwire duties had been the priority at the time, prompting him to be busy quite often when he and Yukio were on speaking terms.

"You're an exorcist."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Rin's grin was impossible to displace, however, and he and Yukio found them glared at for their poor manners on the bus most of the way home, opting instead to joke and relax for once.

* * *

><p>When they returned to True Cross, Yukio had everything laid out. With Shura's help and the exwires desire to re-befriend Rin, he had roped them all into helping him prepare a congratulatory party of sorts to be prepared should he pass. As they walked up the path,however, Yukio heard Rin's phone beep in a text tone.<p>

Evidently, it was a text that could be ignored, or was answered on its own by the next notification. Following Rin's replacing it in his pocket, both of the brothers proceeded to enter the dark dormitory. It wasn't strange for Yukio to turn out all lights before leaving- strange given the attraction many demons had to darkness- or at any other time, prompting Rin to head for the steps with caution.

"I'm going to put the book back in my room."

Rin froze as the lights were thrown on by his brother and the exwires squeezed Rin amidst all of them- Bon and Izumo even participating in the group hug. Rin didn't know what was happening, so he did the thing that came naturally.

Blame Yukio.

"What the hell, Yukio?!"

"Language, Rin."

Rin glared at his brother, "Yukio, what blackmail material do you have on them? Because whatever it is, I'm going to triple it for payback."

"I have no material on them other than their grades," Yukio smiled at his brother's pseudo-angry glare. Rin's return of the smile was something Yukio couldn't bring himself to take for granted any longer. His brother seemed to be reaching out to them again, no matter how many new secrets he was keeping from them. They seemed not to be deadly, from what Yukio had observed, and mainly revolved around new friends outside of True Cross.  
>The danger Rin truly faced, however, was far greater than Yukio had estimated.<p>

* * *

><p>Rin knew he could only be friends to a certain level of trust with the people in front of him, but refused to acknowledge that sore fact at this moment in time. As he talked and joked with the others, it was clear in his demeanor that he was not the same Okumura from a few weeks prior. As he sipped at his tea, he remained mostly silent through the festivities, as there was too much going on around him for him to fully appreciate a party.<p>

"Hey," Suguro turned to him, "Where do you work?"

Rin's face became suspicious in seconds, "Why?"

Suguro smirked, "I met one of your co-workers. An Etsu something or other, you know her?"

"Oh, God," Rin groaned, missing his slip and then hoping he would not be smote, "What did she tell you?"

"Only that you work at a restaurant on the edge of town. Is it that weird place people really like? That American-styled 'world foods' place?"

"Yeah, actually," Rin became slightly more unnerved when Suguro guessed correctly as to his work, "The food is good. You should come sometime."

Suguro seemed skeptical, prompting Rin to shrug as he grumbled about 'pesky luck bastards' and 'that damn manipulator'.

The evening wasn't rambunctious or calm as it progressed, as Rin could not stay still, nor could he move around too much- Donatien had landed several substantial hits on the boy.

Eventually, however, he relaxed a bit more and let himself forget the war as long as he could. It may not have lasted long, but he felt enough room in his chest, his breaths no longer felt as though they were filled with water vapor. Overall, Yukio had been successful. He had gotten Rin to relax a bit and become a little bit closer to the exwires.

* * *

><p>Anfisa laughed as Isamu stressed himself with worry over Rin. She was aware of their relation- everyone in Gehenna knew the face of the first one to be exiled in millennia, Satan's son born to serve others- and as such found his stress over his youngest demon brother humorous. Isamu had not made overt motions to show his anger and anxiety.<p>

No, it was more casual than that. A slap to her head, a spilled drink in her lap, pacing, and knocking over things or running into them.

"Why won't you tell me? He's my damn brother!"

"What about Lucifer?"

"He's a di-"

Lucifer looked up from his plans. Curious as to Rin's performance, he had deigned to join this meeting for the evening, "Don't finish that statement if you like your appearance. Rin is not the only one with fire abilities."

Etsu huffed shortly in laughter, "Yeah, but he has luck not seen since the unfortunate person to find the Hope Diamond. There is a reason Luck demons hid the damn thing, yet these humans think all that glitters is gold."

Anfisa rolled her eyes as she joined Etsu on Isamu's sofa, "They're humans. Cut them a little break. At least they figured out it was cursed."

"After how many people died with it in their possession?"

"Point taken," Anfisa continued the discussion with Etsu as the night continued. All she had told Isamu was that Rin was alive, but the Vatican had yet to release his test results.

Of course, they had released them to Rin, but they would have to tell all of True Cross the son of Satan still lived. Said announcement would not be released until the day following this meeting.

"Just tell me already!"

Isamu was starting to become obviously nervous. Anfisa knew he had watched Rin to keep him safe for years, and knew he cared greatly for the half demon whom had never known the wrath of their father until the day Shiro had died.

"Fine-"

Lucifer stood and stopped her, "Don't give him what he wants. This is amusing."

Isamu suddenly seemed to gain a harsh quality he had not had earlier.

_Ah, of course. His demon and human forms are so close, it's hard to tell sometimes,_ Anfisa smirked.

"Fine," she prepared, "But you owe me a major favor, Isamu."

"Whatever, just tell me how my brother did damn it!"

Anfisa laughed loudly, "He did fine. The guy he fought for the practicals seemed genuinely impressed, and he is such a hardass!"

While it had been amusing to see Isamu so nervous, his blatant relief made Anfisa regret it slightly.

No one should have to worry that much for someone's life, and yet Isamu had to worry for Rin, who was only fifteen. Theirs was a cruel fate. Both could not truly appreciate demon society, but they could never fully integrate into the human society either. This war was their only hope of finding a place to belong, but the creation of such a place was going to be a hardship beyond one they had ever faced.

* * *

><p>[END CHAPTER]<p>

**I apologize for updating so late, but I have been busy all day. Enjoy, and drop a comment if you have anything you wish to say.**

**Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!**

**~endlessnotebooks**


	10. Infiltration Arc: Work

_**Infiltration Arc: Work**_

Rin had been somewhat relieved to find he had a second chance with the other exwires, but this worried him as well. He would be hiding much of his life from them, and would inevitably betray them when the time came. After all, Isamu would one day pull him from spying and send him to the front lines. If that was all. Should he be attacked by Mephisto in front of him, not only would he likely be forced into his full-demon form (also, as he had found out, called the _Daemon_), but he would also be forced to expose his association. As such, Rin enjoyed the party with warped and clouded glass guarding his vision.

The small party lasted later than Yukio had originally planned, as Shura showed up later in the afternoon. The only problem arose when Mephisto arrived, as Rin could not challenge him head on without the prior approval of the other leaders. Having to act as though he were none the wiser as to the current condition of Gehenna, Rin was exhausted before Mephisto had left. It had not helped Rin when he was faced Mephisto's poison-soaked tongue was slandering him in the ideology of a joke the entire time he was visiting.

"Well, little brother, I bid you and your friends good-bye, for now," his smile was hedonistic and condescending, both things Rin had missed when they first met- likely due to his lack of experience reading facial expressions and his grief regarding Fujimoto's death.

Rin had, regretfully, not contacted Fujimoto again. He hoped to, eventually, but Isamu had warned him against it in the hopes that he would see the risks involved for demons that speak to Heaven too often.

"No good comes from spending too much time with the dead. If I find out you really did contact him again without good reason, don't expect sympathy from the others for the extra training."

And he was right. Fujimoto was in the past, and there was nothing Rin could do to change that. They may be fighting together (from what Isamu stated), but would not see each other in any form for likely many years, unless Rin were to meet his end during this war.

As the party dwindled to a close, however, Rin found himself relaxing. By the time Yukio declared the night over (he had insisted the exwires help clean afterward) and sent everyone home, Rin was more than ready to sleep. The practical had been tiring on its own, but he had been able to relax on the bus. Now, he wanted to rest, despite the knowledge he would be extremely sore in the morning after the fight with Donatien. Shura had met him before, and said Rin truly deserved to pass if Donatien said he passed. She had once served under him, and declared him to be a harsh teacher and a powerful leader, both things that made his success all the more sweet.

Yukio had told him earlier that night he was proud Rin had done so much studying for the test on his own, though Rin had to pin most of that onto Matsuri. The debates between the two, while having become common, were always fast-paced and highly informative. As such, Rin had to read and be just as informed as Matsuri on the subject of their next debate, which was always set Tuesdays at work, directly after their "friendly conversation" of that night. Rin's work schedule was fairly regular, half the reason he didn't feel the need to- also the reason he was not required to- clear any of it with Yukio. Every weekday he worked from six until one, and then he worked Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, starting at ten o'clock Saturday night and finishing at four in the morning on Sunday. It was a good schedule, given he worked the bar most nights and other nights he was cooking. The bar was part of a multi-cultural restaurant, giving Rin the opportunity to learn how to cook dishes outside of what he usually made for those around him. All of this had given him an escape from his situation, as well as a time where his mind could be blissfully blank, following instructions as he cooked each evening.

As for his current state, he knew he couldn't make much of an effort to call Isamu and tell him of the results. His own eyes were heavily lidded, and as he lay down, his mind wandered as it drifted off.

Yukio had the address to his work- it was a requirement once he learned Rin had a job, and Bon had received an invitation of sorts, though Hamasaki Etsu had been clear to say she was worried about Rin should they arrive. To be honest, Rin had been surprised when his brother admitted to not having visited the premises at least once to screen it and his coworkers.

Etsu always complained about his "Fiend's luck", often calling it his "damn blue luck" and "natural shit-for-brains luck". Due to their friendly rivalry, he often would taunt her, threatening to sling some of it onto her sometime. Once she had invited his friends, however, the light-hearted teasing had slowly ebbed until it stopped.

He couldn't bring himself to question it, however, as he fell onto his bed and slept the rest of the night, glad to have finished the test and passed. Now, his mission was simple. He would need to go deeper into the ranks of True Cross, supplying whatever information he could. He missed the small note from Lucifer that night, prompting Kuro to hide it until morning.

* * *

><p>Lucifer watched as his brother walked quietly into his room. No doubt he would miss the note, but the cat Sidth was faithful and would defend his master's secrets. It was something that brought him great joy, fighting Samael. Often the two had contemplated what Gehenna could truly be like, but Lucifer had believed his brother was sensible enough to leave Gehenna in the hands of their father until a successor was named.<p>

It was considered by some to be shameful, that he served now under his oldest brother, whom had been disowned. Isamu had been born a protector, not a king, and had caused such a stir in Gehenna. Lucifer could not blame his father for his actions originally, as the boy was- by all rights of the Modern Setzic- a disgrace to the name.

However, upon further learning and study, Lucifer had quickly found other forms of the Setzic to be more enlightening. Yes, they still declared the shunning of his father's blood for a trait perceived as far weaker shameful, but they also explained the ways to win one's place into the throne back. No doubt, he thought, Isamu will prepare Rin for this. He has no interest in the direct throne, but will likely make Rin his figurehead and guide him as an advisor.

He could only hope all would end well, as he did not wish to see his youngest acceptable brother brought down by someone he barely trusted.

After all, every demon had a soft spot for their family.

* * *

><p>In the light of the next day, Rin flinched against the sun. He knew work would be better, given the decent lighting compared to the harsh sun of the day. In all honesty, Rin had never liked the Winter or Summer seasons, as the sun always seemed harshest during those times. It was early August, and the sun seemed harsher than he could ever remember it being.<p>

Yukio had mentioned 'stopping by' that morning, but the two had not exchanged any more words until Rin had left. Now, standing on the bus, Rin debated what he should do if Yukio were to come to the restaurant.

At least there was always the escape gag used by Matsuri and Rin to escape problematic customers. Ever since a busy night when they were understaffed, Etsu had forgotten a dish she had left to roast. As such, they had developed a bit of a joke. Whoever was in the kitchen had to have set something on fire, but only when convenient.

It never ceased to irritate Matsuri that Rin could set the 'fires' whenever he needed.

As he arrived at work, Rin immediately fell into yet another debate with Matsuri.

He wouldn't worry. Work was not a meeting of leaders and high-ranking officials in their revolution. It was three friends goofing off and being general idiots.

It was something Yukio had always said he was good at too. Well- both parts of the job. The idiocy, and the cooking and serving.

[CHAPTER END]

**I will try to update tomorrow, but seeing as I have a long event tomorrow (from about eight until two) with bad internet access and quite a bit of confusion throughout the entire event (many people, instruments, and shuffling from room to room until you find the right one because you are being judged on your performance). **

**As such, enjoy an early chapter!**

**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you have a question, comment, or concern, drop a comment! **

**Thank you again and have a great weekend.**

**~endlessnotebooks**

**P.S. This is an edit I forgot to make:**

**Thank you to my wonderful beta, author12306. For any D . Gray-Man fans out there, I would highly recommend her story ****_Sight._**


	11. Inflitration Arc: Decieve

Not long after Rin questioned Yukio about not having come to the premises of the small American-styled bar and restaurant, said young man arrived. Rin was in the kitchen at the time, as the dinner rush required an efficient, quality cook. Oftentimes, Rin would work the kitchen during rush while Etsu- a luck demon having taken refuge in Japan- and shortly after would leave the kitchen and begin working the bar or the floor, depending upon whom else he had to work with. Seeing as Matsuri was on today, he would work the floor.

Isamu, having taken the restaurant over after it began failing due to low income, had made a small beginning headquarters of sorts. The benefits he reaped were slow-coming, but proved effective, as all the members of the Vera Proelium- a weak joke within a joke, as Latin was once the official language of the Catholic church and 'vera proelium' translated to 'True Fight'- were able to make a living and profits funded the organization.

As Rin walked out of the kitchen, the order pad was passed to him from Etsu. She had already switched her apron for a cooking shirt- which she threw over her current attire of a winter dress- and had waved Rin away from the kitchen. Walking out on the floor, Rin cursed at her mildly in a demon tongue, causing Matsuri to snicker quietly. Not many people insulted Etsu- Rin barely ever got away with it- as she didn't respond well. Once she was well-acquainted with someone- especially people like Rin and Anfisa, who always meant their insults as a somewhat backwards compliment- it became near commonplace.

"I didn't get the back corner table," she had already begun working, "Can you get them?"

Nodding, Rin walked out from behind the bar. It wasn't often, but occasionally they would get large parties, hence why they had a large table in a corner able to seat over eight people, which was currently full to near capacity. The faces he was met with, however, caused him mild shock- though he passed it off with a nervous smile- as he took their orders. Predictable, given what he saw most of them purchase at the cafeteria when he used to work there.

"So," Yukio adjusted his glasses in a way he once had when he was younger- pushing them up by pinching the sides of the frames- and saw Rin relax, "This is where you work?"

Nodding, Rin ran their drink orders back to the kitchen, saying something to the bartender once before they saw him disappear for several moments. Despite the American influence, many of the exwires noticed the clear Japanese elements of the restaurant. There were markers of the recent festival still hanging, among other things.

Rin came back carrying a large tray with their drinks. It was strange for some of them to eat in an American-styled restaurant, but they did not comment as Rin took their orders.

"Rin," as the boy had turned, Yukio had called out to him, "Do you get breaks here?"

The question was one regarding Rin's general welfare in this workplace. He already worked late- many nights not returning until after one in the morning. Rin, unbeknownst to Yukio, managed to complete his school assignments during the hours there were no customers, often sitting at the bar to do so.

"Yeah," Rin said, making a motion to the bartender, "I'll check with Matsuri and see if he'll let me take my hour after I bring out your meals. If I do, he has kitchen duty and Etsu works the floor, but it might not be an issue. We don't get a lot of people until about ten o'clock, and even then it's a small crowd."

Yukio had not intended for Rin to lose today's break, but could not stop the boy as he disappeared into the kitchen and walked back out to the bar. Both he and Matsuri began arguing in the same foreign language Yukio had heard from Rin multiple times to date. It had become just as common as though Rin was speaking plain Japanese, though Yukio could not understand a word of it. Rin had not offered to teach it, nor would Yukio ask.

As he came back with their dishes, they saw Matsuri disappear into the kitchen as the girl they assumed to be Etsu took the bar, and- when the occasional person sat down- the floor. Rin had sat down and was interacting with Shura, as the other exwires did not know what to make of Rin's current work situation.

"If it's too much trouble for Matsuri," Yukio looked back to his brother, "You don't need to sit with us."

"You kidding?" Rin chuckled softly, "Matsuri could care less. Just so long as I don't take another break tonight."

"You two were arguing-"

Rin turned to the speaker- Bon- and shifted, not noticeably uncomfortable, but enough that there was suspicion as to his demeanor, "We were debating."

"What?" Bon seemed to take up his position of creating an antagonistic friendship between himself and Rin, "What could a brainless monkey like you debate?"

At the familiar attitude, Rin breathed a little more freely. He was still tense, that much was clear, but he could tell that some things had yet to fully change against him. Continuing the conversation, Rin's own level of discomfort increased to a level noticeable by even a complete stranger as Isamu entered the building, his eyes meeting Rin's in a rare show of his powers. When any of his espionage agents seemed to be in company of the enemy, he would often use some of his illusionary abilities in an effort to gain his allies attention without attracting others.

"I gotta go," Rin set a small fire in the corner of the kitchen- just out of sight of most everyone but his brother, "Etsu set something on fire again."

As Rin walked away, Yukio decided against commenting on his brother's odd behavior, instead observing as they left what Rin was doing at that moment. He was speaking with the guard from his test. While Yukio couldn't remember her name- though it began with an 'a', he knew- he knew something was wrong. Rin seemed to know the danger of associating too deep with the Vatican and its guard. It was truly worrying, but Yukio could do nothing.

Deciding to at least watch out for his brother, he searched for an excuse to stay until two, as he had heard Rin mention to Matsuri he would work an extra hour that night, prompting Matsuri to worry about him leaving at the aforementioned time.

Yukio, however, found no such reason. As such, when Rin arrived home near three in the morning and Yukio heard him speaking with someone, he knew something was very wrong. Rin was nervous, as well as concerned.

"I can't abandon the job," Rin's exasperated tone was cut off by a harsh voice on the other end.

It was several moments before he replied, "I will do what I can, but I have to follow orders if I'm going to get what you want. It's not going to be a short-order job."

Yet again, the voice- calmer this time- spoke. Yukio could not hear what it said, but Rin had felt the need to reply with the same foreign tongue he had used to speak with Matsuri. Some research had confirmed its origin to be from Gehenna, though there were no known speakers outside of small groups of ancient practitioners, and even then few knew the context and meanings of each of the words. The only way he had found it at all was through a series of words he found written down on a piece of paper. He couldn't translate them, but he had compared the runes to various demonic and ancient languages, finding the right one after hours of searching. The rarity of those who remembered the language, much less those who knew even the small scraps of it, was remarkable. Fewer than a hundred were known to use it, and none were known to still speak it.

As such, it was all the more worrying that Rin knew not only what he was saying, but could calculate how to use this language for his own means. Looking at his pacing brother through the slightly open door, Yukio walked back to his room, a hefty weight bearing on his mind.

* * *

><p>Rin was very aware of his brother having heard the discussion, exactly why he made sure to speak as though a friend or a tutor was trying to convince him to do something he didn't want to do. Looking at his brother's door, he debated trying to talk to him.<p>

Deciding against it, he quickly walked back to his room to continue reading the Secondary Setzic. Isamu had required him to read the Ancient Setzic- a long read with language far more archaic than he thought he would ever see- and was now requiring him to read the Secondary.

It was almost like school, but more obnoxious.

It would be many more hours before he went to sleep, Kuro's half-asleep, worried mewl prompting him to hide this particular book away behind a stack of manga. After all, the Vatican would not take kindly to the idea of him holding onto something of demon origin, much less something explaining a version of demon law.

[CHAPTER END]


End file.
